Articles

Health, Insurance, Security

Article / Passportable

TV Investigation Claims to Find Unchanged Sheets at NYC Hotels

An investigative report that aired on the syndicated TV program Inside Edition this week found that hotel rooms—including the sheets—hadn't been thoroughly cleaned at three properties…

Article / Passportable

Global Entry Enrollment Centers Soon to Reopen

Update, July 1: Shortly after announcing that enrollment centers would open on July 6, U.S. Customs and Border Protection backtracked and postponed their return until at least August…

Article / Passportable

Belize Announces Date for Tourism Reopening

Belize has set a date for welcoming back foreign tourists to that Central American nation of jungles, Mayan ruins, and Caribbean beaches (such as at Caye Caulker, pictured…

Article / Outdoor & Adventure

5 Tips for Hiking in Extreme Summer Heat

Some advice for staying safe, hydrated, and relatively comfortable when you go hiking in blistering summer heat

Article / Passportable

Denied Boarding Because of High Temperature? You Can Get a Refund

If a U.S. airline denies you boarding because you failed its temperature check, you can get a full refund for the cost of the flight. If something like that happens to you, the refund…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

American Airlines Will Now Book Flights to Full Capacity

On Friday, June 26, the United States registered a new single-day record in coronavirus infections—more than 40,000, many of them in young people who exhibit no symptoms. Hours before,…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Tourist Industry Crash: Visitors Are Avoiding the USA for Their Own Safety

The rest of the world now sees America as a mortal danger. "At all costs, you do not want to go into a U.S. hospital without insurance," one Canadian told the Palm Springs Desert Sun.…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Hawaii Moves from Quarantine Toward Tests. But Will the Feds Approve?

The numbers tell a compelling story when it comes to Hawaii. On the winning side, the state has had just a bit over 800 coronavirus infections so far. That's the third lowest rate in…

Article / National Parks

U.S. National Parks Offering Reduced Services: A List of What's Open

America's national parks are reopening in phases, and each park has its own exclusions and limitations. We're tracking changes to available services here. 

Article / Passportable

Saudi Arabia Blocks International Pilgrims from Mecca

For the first time in modern history, Muslims from around the world will not be allowed to make the pilgrimage to Mecca this year. Saudi Arabia announced yesterday that international…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Airport Leadership Begs the US Government to Regulate Mask Usage

Much of the attention given to the issue of air travel safety in the time of Covid-19 has focused on the in-flight experience. But airports, too, are gathering places for crowds, and…

Article / Passportable

Las Vegas' New Tool for Checking Workers' Health: One Ring to Monitor Them All

Feeling lucky? Coronavirus cases are spiking in Las Vegas. The titans behind the lucrative casino-hotels there desperately want to avoid re-closing them, so the owners are trying…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

A Winning Strategy to Get Vegas Gamblers to Wear Face Masks

The reopening of casinos in Las Vegas earlier this month was a gamble amid the pandemic. Sadly, it now looks like that might have been a bad bet. In the nearly three weeks since Sin…

Article / Passportable

Hawaii Is Arresting Tourists Who Violate Quarantine

Hawaii is not messing around. Other American states might have lax enforcement rules about public behavior during the pandemic, but the Aloha State has arrested 21 visitors this week…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Get Up-to-Date Travel Restrictions for Europe Using the EU's New Online Tool

The European Union has made it easier to keep track of travel restrictions in any of its 27 member states. A new, free-to-use, mobile-friendly web platform called Re-open EU provides…

Article / Passportable

Welcome to Cambodia! That'll Be $3,000, Please

We have a new winner for the title of World's Harshest Covid-19 Entry Requirement. Cambodia has announced that all visitors to that Southeast Asian country (famous for the Angkor Wat…

Article / Passportable

Holland America: Sorry, Canada and Hawaii, We'll Just See You in 2021

Holland America has just cleared its schedule of Hawaii and Canada cruises until 2021. Previously, the cruise line put a "pause on" (i.e., canceled) its Alaska, Europe, and East Coast…

Article / Air Travel

WATCH: An Airline Cabin Designer Explains the Systems That Clean the Air on Flights

An engineer for Airbus gave a video interview to explain how airline air circulation systems work—and to say whether he thinks the air on flights is safe.

Article / Air Travel

This Is LaGuardia?! NYC Airport Unveils Stunning New Terminal

Extreme Makeover: Hellhole Edition. Did you think you'd ever say "LaGuardia" and "gorgeous" in the same sentence? Take a look at the spacious and sparkling new Terminal B.

Article / Passportable

Maine Announces New Ways Tourists Can Get Around Its 14-Day Quarantine

Maine, more than most destinations, has been between a rock and a hard place. And I'm not describing the famously jagged coastline. Not only is Maine unusually reliant on tourism—it's…

Article / Passportable

Disneyland Plans to Reopen in July on Its 65th Birthday

Update, June 24: Disneyland Resort has postponed the planned July 17 reopening for its two theme parks, and it has not yet set a new date. “The State of California has now indicated…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Senators Say Airlines Have Safety Gaps, Beg for Leadership from Trump Cabinet

Two U.S. senators have written a scathing letter to tell members of Donald Trump's cabinet they're not doing enough to protect traveling Americans on airlines. Edward Markey of…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Sri Lanka's Reopening Plan for Tourism Is the World's Strictest So Far

As of this writing, Sri Lanka, a country of 21.5 million people, has confirmed only 11 deaths from Covid-19. Due to a rigorous testing, tracking, and quarantine program, the South…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

In a First, Alaska Requiring Covid-19 Tests from Other Americans

American travelers are finding that the rest of the world doesn't trust them to be coronavirus-free. Several European countries now insist on seeing fresh results of a Covid-19 test…

Article / Passportable

Do Not Disturb Until 2021: South Africa Takes Huge Gamble with Tourism

From Caribbean islands to European culture capitals, most destinations with economies that depend to a significant degree on tourism are in a hurry to welcome international visitors…